This ancient city, the capital of the Dordogne, was named after the Gaulish Petrocorii tribe as indeed was the Périgord itself. It is divided into two districts each defined by its main church – St Stephen’s Collégiale (St Etienne), which was the Cathedral until 1669, dominates the Cité district and the massive Byzantine inspired St Front, which is now the...

This magnificently restored Gothic and Renaissance town is situated deep in the heart of the Périgord Noir in a basin surrounded by wooded hills. Sarlat, officially Sarlat-la-Canéda, has been the location for two Hollywood films, The Duellists and Timeline. However, it is much more than a film set. Sarlat is a busy small town with a Saturday market to die for which...

France boasts some of the best markets in Europe and many of these can be found in the South West. Arguably the finest of all is in the Dordogne at Sarlat. There are two markets throughout the week but the best is the Saturday event. This spreads right through the Old Town and along the main street, the rue de la...